Ratchet-wrench



` B. A. BUTLER. f

vRATCHET WRENCHl APPLICATION FILED oma. 1919.

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/If uw UNITED Slle'l el BERNARD A. BUTLER, @F BALTIMQRE, MARYLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. e, 1921.

Application filed December 3, 1919. Serial No. 342,208.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, BERNARD A. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of hlaryland," have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ratchet-l/Vrenches; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and enact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

rllhis invention relates to new and useful improvements in ratchet Wrenches and has for its primary object the provision of ineens whereby the device can be conveniently manipuated in close quarters and thereby render the device especially adaptable for removing and replacing the bolts or nuts that secure connecting rods to crank shafts of engines.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a support for the jaw of the wrench Which permits of the jaw being applied to a nut or bolt that is positioned laterally of the opening in the crank case of the engine and with the handle of said support positioned eXteriorly of the crank case and in alinement With the jaw, whereby a person grasping the handle can apply pressure to the jaw in direct alinement therewith.

it further object of this invention is the provision of an operating means for the ratchet mechanism that can be conveniently operated at a point exteriorly of the crank case and the handle of the support1 A still further object of this invention is the provision of a ratchet Wrench of the above stated character which shall be simple, durable and er'licient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively 10W cost.

lvlith these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my in? nut of the connecting rod and said Wrench being constructed in accordance With my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the Wrench,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional vievv of the Wrench.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l indicates as an entirety an internal combustion engine consisting of the cylinders 2, crank case 3 having the usual removable bottom d to give access to the crank shaft 5 and connecting rods (i. It is to be noted that the front and rear connecting rods are disposed laterally of the opening 7 in the crank case formed by the removal of the bottom Ll and to remove the nuts or bolts of said connecting rods Wit-h an ordinary Wrench is very difficult owing to the small space or close quarters in which the Wrench must be manipulated.

The foregoing description relates to a Well known construction of internal combustion engine and for Which my invention is especially adaptable.

A support 8 consists of a rod that has formed upon one end a hand grip 9 and said support is bent to form a crank or offset portion l0 that has its free end bent at right angles as illustrated at 12 and formed integrally with a bearing member 13 that is disposed in alinement with the handle or grip 9. The bearing member 13 has an annular offset portion 14 surrounded by an annular ratchet housing or member 15 in which is positioned a chuck or integral jaw 16 of the socket type. rlhe jaw or chuck 16 has formed upon its inner end an integ-ral ratchet gear 17 that rests upon the offset portion le of the bearing member 13.

rlhe ratchet gear 17 is provided with a screw threaded socket 18 to receive the inner end of a set screw or bolt 19 passing through the bearing member i3 whereby the chuck or jaw is rotatably connected to the bearing member 13 and in such a manner that sufficient friction Will be established between the ratchet Wheel i7 and the oifset portion 141- to prevent rotation of theI jaiv or chuck 16 when the ratchet mechanism is idling over the ratchet gear 17. fln inwardly directed flange 2O is formed upon the ratchet housing l5 and engages the ol'set portion 14 of the bearing member i3 and underlies a portion of the ratchet gear 17, forming an additional seat for the same over that provided for by the oifset portion 14;. rlhe housing` 15 is closed by a removable plate 2l and said housing l5 is provided With a out out portion 22 in which is pivoted a double acting dog 23. rlfhe double acting dog 23 has one end of a spring 24 bearing against the same While the other end of the spring bears against the Wall of the cut out portion 22 and which spring is adapted to hold either of the ends of the dog into engagement With the teeth oi? the ratchet gear. The end of the spring that bears against the dog is adapted to move laterally to each side or the pivot point ot' said dog when the ends of the dog are alternatingly engaged with the ratchet gear. The spring 2st is provided with an oiiset 25 to permit flexing of the Yspring and also to give the spring additional strength, rlhe pivot pin of the dog extends exteriorly of the housing l5 and is provided with a finger grip 26 so that the position or the dog can be shifted tor changing the ratchet movement of the device by rotating the pin in either direction. An integral handle 27 is formed upon the housing l5 and is bent to conform to the crank or oiiiset 10 of the support 8 and has its free end bent at right angles to form a handle 28 that is disposed exteriorly oi' the crank case 4- whereby the same can be readily oscillated for operating the Chuck oi jaw 16 with a ratchet movement.

lllhile i have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it Wiil be understood that minor changes in construction, combination, and arrangement oi parts may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:-

l. A ratchet Wrench comprising a bearing member, a jaw carried by said bearing member, a ratchet mechanism for said jaw, a support formed on the bearing member and having an offset portion to permit positioning of the jaw to a nut disposed laterally of the entrance Way of a housing conlining the nut, a handle for said support and in direct alinement With the jaw, and means for operating the ratchet mechanism.

2. A ratchet Wrench comprising a bearing member, a aw carried by the bearing member and adapted to be applied to the nut of a connecting rod bearing in the crank case of an engine, a support forsaid bearing member, and being offset to permit it to extend exteriorly of the crank case, a handle for said support and in alinement With the j aw, a ratchet mechanism for said jaw and a handle for the ratchet mechanism and bent in close proximity to the offset ot' the support and laterally thereof to extend exteriorly of the crank case.

3. A ratchet Wrench comprising a bearing member, a ratchet gear journaled to the bearing member, a jaw formed integrally with the ratchet gear, a support formed on the bearing member and having an offset portion, a handle for said support, a housing journaled on the bearing member and surrounding the ratchet gear, a spring actuated dog carried by said housing for engagement with the ratchet gear, and a handle formed on said housing and being bent at right angles thereof and having Vits, end disposed laterally of the right angled portion to form a hand grip.

ln testimony whereof l ath): my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERNARD A. BUTLER.

Witnesses THOMAS Cmnooii, ADA T. BUCKLE. 

